The Omen of the Night
by JPReality
Summary: Legolas and King Thranduil travel to Rivendell for a grand celebration. While there, strange things begin to occur, leaving Legolas and the others to find the cause.
1. Chapter 1

**The Omen of the Night**, Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters, although I sometimes wished that I did. Alas, I make no profit from this, other than to quiet the musing in my head.

**Rating:** T for possible violence and language in upcoming chapters.

**Author's note:** This is my first story, so bear with me as I go. This story takes place following the War of the Ring. As part of my own musing, there may be differences within my story that do not always follow that of the books/movies. In addition, all grammar and other mistakes are my own. Also as a side note, this chapter is a bit slow, but necessary to set up the story. Enjoy!

**ooo**

Legolas sighed as he lay awake in his bed. One would think with times so peaceful now, an elf would be able to fine some rest, but he could not. He had awoken again from his sleep for the countless time since his return from the War of the Ring. As always, he was aware of the fact that his sleep had been filled with foreboding and dark images, but he could not remember the specific nature of the dream.

Still tired but knowing that sleep would not come, Legolas rose from his bed and wandered out onto the balcony. The wind was fairly strong this night and he could hear the leaves rustling in the trees. He looked to the skies and found some peace upon gazing at their beauty. The air was cool and felt soothing against his face. He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath, feeling at peace upon exhale.

His thoughts lingered on the dream. If only he were able to remember something of its content, perhaps he would be better able to understand its meaning. He wondered if it was merely his mind going back to the struggles endured while in the fellowship, but in his heart he knew this not to be true. He could not shake the feeling that he was missing something, that his tormented sleep held more secrets. As he continued to ponder the importance of this reoccurring dream, Legolas watched as the sun rose, beautifully illuminating the land. He was thankful that at least others would begin to wake and he could distract himself with other things.

He walked down the hallway and stepped out into the courtyard, where his father could almost always be found this time of the morning. The sun was shining brightly now and cast rays of light through the trees in a delicate pattern. Legolas could feel its warmth and it did well for his soul. He was beginning to dread the coming of the moon and stars.

Legolas took a seat next to his father and tried to clear his mind while he enjoyed the beauty and comfort of his surroundings.

"Good morning ada," Legolas said to his father.

Thranduil nodded his head and smiled, "That it is, my son."

Thranduil turned to look at his son, only to find Legolas' eyes surprisingly closed and his head resting against the back of his seat. As he gazed upon his son, a small frown began to appear on his face. Many times in the recent weeks, months even, he had seen this occur. In the beginning, he had figured it was lingering weariness following Legolas' journey with the Fellowship, but the occurrences only seemed to increase, as had other signs.

There were dark circles underneath Legolas' eyes and his long blond hair had lost its normal shine. He also appeared much paler than normal, as if his light were growing dimmer. None of the changes were drastic and would probably go unnoticed by many, but not by a father. It was as though his son was exhausted, but he had not the slightest idea what the cause could be from. His duties here had been slight, especially since his return. He had wanted to give Legolas that time to regain his strength as well as his own selfish motive to keep him safe.

"How do you fare this morning?" Thranduil questioned his son.

Legolas was somewhat shocked by the question. He could hear the mild concern in his father's voice immediately. _"Surely I am better able to conceal my thoughts?"_ he wondered. He opened his eyes to see his father looking upon him.

"Very well ada," Legolas smiled to his father. "What causes you concern?"

Thranduil smiled, "I suppose it is nothing, but I cannot help but feel that your mind seems to be preoccupied." Apparently he had been unable to conceal his concerns, but then again, Legolas had done no better concealing whatever it was that was bothering him either.

"Well you are right," Legolas said smiling. "It is nothing. I was merely reflecting on more recent events and perhaps feeling as though there needs to be some excitement."

Thranduil could not help but smile and shake his head slightly in amusement. "And what type of excitement is it that you wish to have, my son?"

"Ah, well, I believe that true excitement will come only as the fates allow, do you not agree?" Legolas asked her father.

"Depends on your idea of excitement I would suppose. However, I believe that I would prefer the type which is a bit more planned."

"I can agree that not all types of unpredicted excitement are enjoyable," Legolas replied as he stood and went to his father, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I think that I will go and enjoy this lovely morning at the range. Would you care to join me father?"

"Perhaps another time, my son. Now, I have some very predictable and unexciting matters to attend to," Thranduil said jokingly to Legolas, knowing full well his son had predictably avoided the topic at hand.

Legolas smiled and took leave of his father. He went down to the practice range, obtaining his bow from his quarters along the way. He smiled to himself as he went along. Despite the lack of excitement and his reoccurring nightmares, it was very comforting to be home again. As he approached the range, the dream was gradually fleeing from his thoughts and soon, he had forgotten about it altogether. The forest can have wondrous effects on an elf.

**ooo**

And just like that, the dreams had stopped. A few weeks had passed and as each night uneventfully transitioned into day the dreams drifted even further from the Elf's thoughts. In fact, with his mind finally rested and free, he had forgotten about them altogether. With Legolas returning to normal, the King also forgot about his worries over his young son. Thus, when Lord Elrond invited them to Rivendell for a grand celebration, he had no reservations about their attendance.

King Thranduil could see the excitement gleaming in Legolas' eyes. He even had to admit to himself that the trip and celebration sounded like a glorious distraction from the normalcy that was Mirkwood at the moment. He was also very fond of the idea of spending some private time with his youngest son.

"Well, I suppose that certain preparations will need to be made before our journey, do you not agree?" Thranduil asked Legolas.

"Yes, I suppose they will," Legolas replied, not even bothering to stifle the smile that was appearing. "It does my heart well to be in company with friend's ada, and even more so that you will be in attendance."

Legolas had been more than surprised at his father's quick acceptance of this invitation, but he dared not question his father lest he change his mind.

Over the few weeks, King Thranduil and Legolas made preparations for their journey. An acceptance note was sent to Lord Elrond telling of their expected arrival. Soon, the day of departure arrived and Legolas was so eager he felt as though he could run all the way to Rivendell. Legolas had the horses prepared and ready when his father came to join him.

"I believe I do not need to ask you if you are ready," Thranduil joked.

"Your assumption would be correct ada for I am ready and anxious to be on our way," Legolas stated, unable to contain his smile.

With that, the two of them said their goodbyes and were on their way. Neither one of them had a single fear in their minds as they took off into the forest, the wind flowing through their hair, responsibilities to their backs.

"Yes, this was a much needed rest," Thranduil thought contently to himself as he watched his son ride gracefully through the forest, "much needed indeed."

**To Be Continued.**

A/N: Please read and review. Constructive criticism welcomed!


	2. Chapter 2

**The Omen of the Night**, Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters, although I sometimes wish that I did. Alas, I make no profit from this, other than to quiet the musing in my head.

**Ratin**g: T for possible violence and language in upcoming chapters.

**Author's note:** This is my first story, so bear with me as I go. This story takes place following the War of the Ring. As part of my own musing, there may be differences within my story that do not always follow that of the books/movies. In addition, all grammar and other mistakes are my own. Enjoy!

**ooo**

The air was cold, much colder than it should be and the sensation of it was strong. Odd that it would affect him so. He felt pain also, but could not really focus as to the cause of this pain. There were flashes of light, lightening perhaps. A sense of urgency filled his entire being and everything, every sensation was coming at a rapid speed, too fast to really see, feel, or understand what was occurring. He was gasping for breath as there seemed to be a heavy weight on his chest. _Was there a figure in front of him?_ Somehow he knew this to be a stranger and he felt the desperate need to get away, but his body would not move. With every flash of light he could see the figure nearing him. His eyes darted around, searching the darkness for assistance. Just as the figured appeared to be on top of him, he felt himself moving, but in a downward motion. He was falling. His heart was pounding in his chest and he was sure he had not taken a breath in minutes the pressure on his chest was so strong. He could feel the fear building in him as he fell, wind whistling louder as momentum grew and suddenly, 'thud.'

Legolas awoke gasping for breath. His body was covered with sweat, yet he was shivering uncontrollably. Obviously, the dream had returned and was much more powerful than before. He had forgotten all about the dreams as they had ceased and his mind was preoccupied with his excitement for their journey. It was at that moment that Legolas became aware of his father nervously leaning over him, clutching his hand in his own.

"Legolas, can you hear me? Are you alright my son?" Thranduil asked desperately.

"_I wonder how long he has been at my side," _Legolas thought to himself.

"Yes, I am fine ada. It was merely a regretful memory of things from the past," Legolas stated as convincingly as possible.

Thandruil continued to stare helplessly at his son. He had been on watch as Legolas was sleeping when he heard the panicked words coming from his resting son. He could not understand all of what Legolas was saying, but his body had turned cold and was shivering badly. About that time, his skin broke out into a sweat and Legolas was unresponsive to his voice or persistent shaking. Then, all of a sudden, his body went stiff, and Legolas had awoken with a start, eyes still cloudy from the dream or whatever had befallen his son.

"Are you sure you are well?" Thranduil asked, not even bothering to try and mask his concern.

"Yes ada, I am sure," he replied.

Thranduil suddenly remember how exhausted he had seen Legolas not that many weeks ago. "This is not the first time this has happened, has it?" he asked.

Looking downward and away from his fathers piercing stare Legolas replied, "No it is not. I have had the dream on numerous occasions, but I cannot ever recall as to what transpired in the dream. It is a frustrating burden I have bared since returning from the War of the Ring, one that I had hoped was long behind me now."

Thranduil wanted to ring his son's neck for not speaking with him about this sooner. He realized the young elf was stubborn, but there could be dark entities behind his plagued dreams. _"And were they even dreams at all? Why had he not awakened when he called to him?" _he wondered.

"If you do not remember as to the events in these dreams, how do you know they are brought on by past memories?" he asked his son.

"I suppose I do not know for sure, but there is nothing more that can be done for we cannot choose where our mind wanders while we rest," Legolas stated with obvious frustration and fatigue in his voice.

He knew that Legolas would not discuss the issue and further and he silently cursed to himself for instilling in his son a stubborn streak that he himself had mastered. He was also angered further at realizing that his son was right. The dreams were in fact just that, and he had absolutely no power to change the situation.

"I do not mean to upset you my son, I merely worried when you would not waken to my voice. Perhaps Lord Elrond will be able to provide additional light concerning the matter?" he offered as a suggestion.

The last thing Legolas wanted was Lord Elrond and the others to worry over something as ridiculous as a dream, but he knew his father would speak with the Lord despite his own reservations about the issue. He took a deep breath and looked at the moon shining brightly upon the land. He knew that his father meant well. He also knew that his anger was not with his father, but with himself because he too was somewhat nervous about these apparent dreams.

Tonight was much different than before. Much of the dream was still foggy and unclear, but for the first time, he had some memories of its contents. He remembered the coldness he felt and his inability to breathe, and the figure. _Who or what was approaching me that would cause such intense reactions?" _he thought.

While he was glad to have at least some tangible knowledge of the dreams that plagued his sleep, he was not comforted in the least. He now knew that the dreams had nothing to do with past events and his only conclusion was that it must have something to do with the future. Legolas was by no means an expert in these areas, but the intensity of this dream left lingering effects. His heart was still racing from the ordeal and he had absolutely no desire to return to bed. Just thinking about the figure and that sensation of falling was sending chills to his very core.

"I believe ada, that it would be wise to mention this to Lord Elrond during our stay."

The King, who had been nervously watching his son as he was lost in thought, was thoroughly surprised by Legolas' agreement and actually found it to increase his anxiety.

Sensing this Legolas turned toward his father and smiled, "Do not fret ada, for everything will be fine, you will see. The dreams should not ruin our journey. I am regretful for the anger I directed toward you. I must blame it on the unpleasant way I was awoken and must take note to avoid doing so again."

Thranduil could not help but smile and he knew his son had meant him no harm. Perhaps these dreams were just dreams after all. But he still could not shake the feeling that there was something amiss. Deciding to pursue the issue at a later date, with the assistance of Lord Elrond, he agreed with Legolas, that these dreams should not ruin their journey as it was a very rare occurrence that he have this precious time with his son.

"I will take the watch from here. Try and rest so that we may continue our ride in the morning," Legolas stated.

"Aye, I believe that I will, but do not hesitate to wake me should you need to rest yourself."

"Of course, goodnight ada."

And with that, the King settled himself down with the true intent of getting some rest. Little did he know that the fates had another plan in mind.

**To Be Continued. **

A/N: Please read and review! I know there was not much action in this chapter either, but it seemed the best place to stop. The next chapter is definitely action filled and should be much longer!


	3. Chapter 3

**The Omen of the Night**, Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters, although I sometimes wish I did. Alas, I make no profit from this, other than to quiet the musing in my head.

**Rating**: T for possible violence and language in upcoming chapters.

**Author's note:** This is my first story, so bear with me as I go. This story takes place following the War of the Ring. As part of my own musing, there may be differences within my story that do not always follow that of the books/movies. In addition, all grammar and other mistakes are my own. Enjoy!

**ooo**

Legolas was absentmindedly prodding the fire with a stick, still contemplating the implications of his dream when he began to sense the horses' uneasiness. He looked up into the forest and listened for anything amiss. Even with the moonlight shining through the trees, it was still incredibly dark and his sight was limited. He held his breath and listened, but heard nothing and continued to poke at the fire. But then, the sound was unmistakable, Orcs.

He quietly gathered his things and rushed to his father's side.

"Father, we must get moving quickly for we will soon have some uninvited guests," he whispered.

The King rose immediately and began gathering his things, also hearing the creatures approaching their camp quite quickly.

"Orcs?" he whispered.

Legolas nodded in agreement.

Thranduil doused the fire and hoped that it and its smoke had not yet been seen. The Orcs were still a bit away, but it would not take them long, especially if they had caught sight of their prey. By the sounds of it, there was at least a half a dozen headed in their direction. _"Not awful odds,"_ Thranduil thought to himself.

Legolas had gone and tended to the horses. He was beginning to wonder if riding in such darkness with spooked animals would be the fastest and safest means of travel, but he never finished the thought. As a barrage of arrows came soaring through the trees, he knew they had been spotted.

Thranduil's eyes searched through the darkness for his son as the arrows flew all around him. He could barely make out his form by the horses.

"Let them go. We will take to the trees to lose our foe. They will find their own safe journey home," he called to his son.

The Orcs were approaching at a fast speed and despite their attempts, he knew they would not be able to avoid contact with the foul creatures. He quickly untied the horses, giving them firm pats to send them on their way. Knowing it was useless to try his bow in this darkness, he reached for his knives and stood waiting for the horrid things. He glanced toward his father, who had also prepared himself for the fight and heard him quietly whisper, "Be safe my son."

Legolas only had time to nod to his father before the beasts pounded through the trees directly towards them. Without wasting a second, Legolas charged at the foul beings, slicing at the first one to come near. He managed to severely wound its arm, sending its weapon clashing to the ground. The beast wailed in pain and sank to its knees, clutching its wound. Two more replaced this one, both swinging their weapons widely in their fury. Legolas waited until the last possible second and leaped into the air, grabbing a hold of a tree branch above his head and swinging himself over the creatures, landing effortlessly behind them. The creatures, unprepared for this ran head first into a tree and bounced into one another. Legolas took this opportunity to strike, slitting both their throats in a matter of seconds. Both creatures, unable to cry out, clutched at their throats and fell to the ground. As he turned around to face the newest onslaught, Legolas felt a sharp pain in his back, causing him to cry out in surprise. He knew that an arrow had found its way to its target. Now, even more determined than before, he turned and plunged his knives into the chest of the closest Orc, jumping quickly out of its path as it fell to the ground.

As Thranduil watched his son engage the first wave of Orcs, he too prepared for the onslaught. By his count, there were about eight of the beings, and he could hear more trampling through the forest. He knew they would be finished if they choose to remain and fight. He gripped his sword firmly and as two of the beasts approached he swung with intensity, slicing the first on the chest and piercing its companion through the heart. Another creature came bounding from the bushes; however, it had not noticed its fallen companions and went sprawling headfirst in the ground. Thranduil took this moment to stab the creature in the back. That's when he heard the stifled cry from his son. Immediately he turned and saw an arrow had pierced him in the back. Worry and fury filled his thoughts and he became careless. An Orc was nearly on top of him before he realized it and swung its weapon, slicing Thranduil on his side. Regaining his momentum, he once again plunged his sword into the creature, piercing its stomach.

"_Oh, if only the sun would rise," _he thought desperately.

Finally there was a small break. He could hear that many more Orcs were on their way, having heard the commotion. "Legolas, we must take to the trees swiftly in the hopes of losing our foe," Thranduil called to his son.

Legolas nodded his agreement, "We must split so as to confuse them."

Thranduil did not like the idea of this, but knew his son was right. He met Legolas' eyes and whispered, "Please be careful, my son." With that, he leapt up and grabbed hold of the nearest branch. He lifted himself upwards and continued to climb higher into the trees strong arms. He glanced behind him, to ensure that his son had made it to the trees as well, when he heard the dreaded sound.

Legolas watched as his father took to the trees gracefully. He started forward and leapt into the air, reaching for a branch when he felt the cold grasp around his ankle, yanking him to the ground. He landed hard and with a snap. He felt the arrow being dug deeper into his back and realized the rest of the arrow had snapped, accounting for the sound that he heard. His vision grew cloudy from the fall and increasing pain in his back. Quickly rolling to his left, he barely avoided the foul creature as it aimed for his head. Grabbing his knives he leapt at the creature, slashing at its chest, before stumbling away in an attempt to reach the trees. He could hear the steady stream of Orcs heading his way and he knew he must act quickly, or his opportunity would not come again. At that moment, he saw the outstretched hand and leapt at it thankfully being pulled into the safer canopy of the trees.

"_No," _Thranduil screamed inside as he saw the Orc a moment too late to warn his son. As if in slow motion, he watched as the foul creature pulled his son from the tree, slamming him hard against the ground with a sickening thud. He watched as Legolas moved quickly and killed the creature, but took note that his actions were somewhat uncoordinated. As Legolas looked to the trees, he reached out his hand, grabbing onto his son and pulling him to the branches, feeling his own wound growing wider. Grimacing, he pulled Legolas close to him and closed his eyes, sending a prayer to the Valar that they had at last gained an advantage.

Without anything else needing to be said, Legolas and his father began making their way through the forest by leaping from tree to tree, limb to limb. When at last they could no longer hear the disgusting beings, they stopped to catch their breath and discern their surroundings. They climbed higher into the tree, to better conceal themselves from the ground below.

Legolas leaned his head against a branch and closed his eyes, hoping that the dizzying sensation would disappear. His entire back felt as though it were on fire and every move made it only feel worse. His body was sore and he had a nasty gash on the side if his head, both received by forcefully being dragged onto the ground and rocks.

"I do not understand ada," Legolas whispered to his father, still not opening his eyes. "These foul creatures have never ventured into these lands before and certainly not so close to elven lands."

"Yes, it is odd. But perhaps a better time for contemplation is when we have safely arrived at our destination." Thranduil looked concernedly at his son. "How bad are you injuries?" he inquired.

"Tis nothing father, I am fine," Legolas replied, opening his eyes and smiling at his father, hoping that his face did not reveal the truth.

"Well, it will be dawn soon. We will rest here until the sun rises. Our guests will hide amongst the hills by then. If we move swiftly, we may be able to reach safer lands before the next moon."

Legolas nodded in agreement. He was relieved they would not be moving just yet, as he was not sure his body would have complied with the request. '_I am just so tired,'_ he thought to himself as he drifted into unconsciousness.

Sensing a change, Thranduil turned toward his son, only to see his arms hanging limply at his sides and his head rolling forward. _'Sweet Eru,' _he thought. _'His injuries must be more severe.' _Without being able to reach his son effectively in the trees, he had no choice but to wait until daybreak to further assess his son. Thranduil sat frustrated, waiting and silently praying to the Valar that the sun would come swiftly.

**ooo**

He moaned softly as consciousness painfully filled his being. His body was stiff and his back screamed in agony at the slightest movement. His head also felt as though it had been trampled on by an Orc. He opened his eyes to the sunlight, sending fresh waves of pain to his head. Breathing deeply, he attempted to adjust himself on the branch, but failed miserably.

Thranduil, seeing son awaken and attempt to move, quickly moved as close as he could get. "Do not move yet Legolas. Allow some time to regain your senses as we are quite a ways up from the ground."

"Do you truly believe that a Mirkwood elf, a Prince nonetheless, would ever be caught falling from a tree," Legolas replied to his father with amusement.

"Well it most certainly would not be my proudest moment as a father," he said smiling.

Legolas continued to sit in silence for a few moments, in effect, trying to regain his senses. "How long has the sun been up?" Legolas asked.

"Not too long, perhaps about an hour."

"Aye, then we must be on the move if we are to cover any ground today. I do not want to be here waiting for our guests should they come to look for us again," Legolas stated while making another futile attempt at moving.

"Neither do I, but my greater concern for the moment is the injury to your back for it is much worse then you lead on," his father said with concern.

"Well, you can better observe for yourself once we are firmly on the ground ada," Legolas stated as he pushed himself up with all his strength, fighting back the urge to yelp at the painful sensations that radiated from his back through his entire body.

He slowly lowered himself from branch to branch, until at last he landed, somewhat ungracefully on the ground. _'But at least I did not fall,' _he thought to himself with a smile. Seconds later his father landed beside him.

"Turn around," he stated without hesitation.

Legolas slowly turned, his back now facing his father.

Thranduil took a sharp breath at the sight of his backside. Legolas' shirt was covered with blood from the wound, but no arrow could be found.

Lifting up his shirt, Thranduil prepared his son. "I know this will hurt, but I need to get a better look at your wound."

Legolas only nodded his head, biting his lip in anticipation of the pain.

Thranduil saw that the arrow had hit about the middle of his son's back. The skin surrounding the wound was bright red and fresh blood had begun to trickle down his back from the movement out of the trees. The wound was large and Thranduil could barely make out the few pieces of wood that remained. He gently touched the surrounding areas of the wound, Legolas' body tensing as he did so, and was sure of what he felt.

"The arrow head is still imbedded in your back, my son. I fear there is not much that I can do for it here. We must get you to Lord Elrond as soon as possible."

Sweat was forming on the young elf's forehead and Thranduil raised his hand to feel his face. It was warm to the touch. Infection was beginning, with a fever having started already. They needed to move quickly.

"Sit," he told Legolas. He then tore bits of cloth from his cloak and soaked them in water. He did his best to clean the blood from the wound, but it continued to bleed slightly. Giving up, he tore additional pieces of cloth and wrapped them around Legolas' body, tying them tightly to try and hinder the bleeding. Legolas was breathing heavily at this point and his body was shaking slightly.

"I am sorry, but that is all I can do for the moment. Do you want to rest longer before he move?" he asked concerned that his son already appeared to be exhausted.

"No, I will be fine. But, as we are on the topic, how do you fare father?" Legolas asked. He had noticed a fair amount of blood stains coming from his father's side.

"Now that is nothing," Thranduil replied in a stern voice.

Knowing that his father would not admit to anything, Legolas decided to save his energy for moving, rather than arguing at this point. He took a deep breath and with the aid of his father, rose from the ground. Stars danced in front of his eyes and his walk was unsteady, but they were at least on their way. Thus, the two began their journey again, watching each other closely and praying that they would soon arrive at their destination.

**To be Continued.**

A/N: Please read and review as always. Also, thank you to all those who have reviewed already, you are the best! I tried to make this one a bit longer, but again, I felt this was the best place to stop for now. There is plenty more to come. Being my first fiction, I am not sure how the 'action' part of this chapter went. If anyone has some constructive criticism, it would be more than welcomed!


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